Blondies with Pretzel M&Ms and Pretzel pieces

Yep, sweet and salty combo.  Are you a salty or sweet person? I am 100% a sweet person.  Oh I love salt don't get me wrong, but I can not pass up a sweet treat.  If I have to choose between potato chips and a cookie, I'll choose a cookie....after the potato chips.

I made these blondies for my Bakin' Friend last month.  Our secret ingredient was pretzels.  I love a little hint of salt in my sweet treats.  I doubled it up with pretzel pieces and pretzel M&Ms.

For the blondie base, I used the same recipe as these peanut butter blondies, which I also made with M&Ms.  I didn't use peanut butter in this pretzel batch.  Hmmmm...what was I thinking?!?!  Peanut butter would have been a nice addition, not necessary, but definitely an added bonus.  Who doesn't love peanut butter and pretzels?!  I love this blondie base.  It is such an easy recipe and you can change it up however you like: different candy, chocolate chips, whatever makes you happy that day.

Blondies with Pretzel M&Ms and Pretzel pieces

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 and 1/2 cup pretzel M&Ms

1 heaping cup pretzel pieces, measured, then crushed

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Remove from heat and add brown sugar.  Set aside to cool.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  

Stir eggs and vanilla into the butter mixture.   Slowly fold in dry ingredients. Stir until just combined, careful not to overmix.  Fold in M&Ms and pretzel pieces.  Spread evenly in prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

This is sure to satisfy all of those salty and sweet cravings.  Add in that peanut butter and you can't lose!

Blondies with peanut butter and M&Ms

Friends, ever have one of those days? Weeks? Months???  I hear ya! Trust me, I know people have much, much bigger problems than I do.  I know this.  Which is why my day can be simply made better with peanut butter.  Baking makes me feel better.  Eating makes me feel best.

Just to give you a little insight...you know that baby I have?  Little Miss P?  

Well the other day, she was in the car.....by herself....with my keys.

I was outside....doors were locked....AAA had to help us.  

See my dilemma?  I had to have blondies.  I also had to have wine, but that was later that evening.  I had some M&Ms that I got for a steal after Easter.  Yep, throwing those in.  Also, of course, peanut butter.  I was having a DAY people!  I needed peanut butter.

Make these if you're having a day, or if someone you know is having a day.  And don't you dare feel bad about eating the whole pan.

Blondies with Peanut Butter and M&Ms

adapted from my Betty Crocker cookbook
1/2 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 cup M&Ms
Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.    Remove from heat and add brown sugar. Once that is combined stir in peanut butter.  Set aside and let cool.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
Stir eggs and vanilla into the peanut butter mixture.  Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.  Don't overmix.  Fold in M&Ms.  ( I saved a few to press right into the top of the dough) Spread evenly in your pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.  I would not bake for more than 30 minutes.  Allow to completely cool in pan before cutting into squares.  I like to use a pizza cutter for cutting bars.

Blondies are just so simple to make.  You don't even need softened butter. You can run into your kitchen and make these right now...and I don't know why you wouldn't.  Don't you feel better just thinking about it?
On a completely separate note, have you heard Google Reader is about to meet its demise?  I'm bummed because I've used it for quite a while to follow all my favorite blogs.  I know people have desperately been searching for a substitute.  I have decided to use bloglovin'.  I like it so far and can even read on my iPhone using their app!   
Check it out or let me know what reader you have switched to!
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Cookie Butter White Chocolate Chip Blondies

So finally I have rid my pantry of Cookie Butter!!  I couldn't handle it in there anymore.  Always taunting me just sitting there.  I had just enough left to whip up a treat for this month's Bakin' Friends exchange.  This also forced me to get these blondies out of my house.  I shouldn't have baked goods readily at my disposal.  However, I had to sample a bite before I mailed them...quality control.

This month's secret ingredient was cinnamon and I think Cookie Butter pairs perfectly with that.  I added the white chocolate chips for something different. I was thinking pretzels might by fun too, add a little more salt.  Or...I might throw in some crushed Biscoff cookies!  Alright..I better get in the kitchen, and you should to! GO!

Cookie Butter White Chocolate Chip Blondies

adapted from Joy the Baker

10 Tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup cookie butter, or Biscoff Spread

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9x13 pan, I find it really helpful to use parchment paper for these blondies.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar until combined.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Once cool, stir in cookie butter.  Let cool for another 5 minutes and add in eggs and vanilla.

Whisk together salt, cinnamon, flour, and baking powder.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  Stir until combined.  Fold in white chocolate chips.  Pour batter into pan and smooth. Bake for 25 minutes.  *you may want to bake for 30 minutes, I like them a little soft and slightly underdone*

I was so happy to share these treats with Steph.  I'm looking forward to making them again, but maybe this time, I won't share?